Gráinne Carberry

This paper assesses the spatial relationships among crime, alcohol accessibility and 'disadvantage‘ in various neighbourhoods of Toronto (2006).
Crime rates and licensed premises‘ density were compared using maps, correlation analysis and analysis of bivariate local indicators of spatial association (LISA). Seven variables relating to income levels, education, age and stability were selected to represent 'disadvantage‘ and their relationships to crime rates were assessed using maps, correlations and bivariate LISAs. Crime rates and alcohol accessibility were significantly associated. Areas with high rates of crime and high densities of licensed premises were mainly located downtown. Unexpectedly (given the literature), the relationship is consistently stronger with property, rather than violent crimes. Property crimes are inversely related to both drug offenses and violent crimes; these differences appear in both bivariate LISA analyses. Disadvantage displayed an elongated L-shaped and northern pattern and was most associated with violent crime, rather than property or drug-related crime.